The Bat and His Prey
by VampireHunterDragoon
Summary: A man murders a demon, and is then hunted by a monstrous bat. Is this a case of diabolical vengeance or is it madness? Intended as a tribute to Edgar Allen Poe and HP Lovecraft.
1. Chapter 1

Notice: I do not own the Batman franchise, but DC Comics does, and this is total bullshit.

THE BAT AND HIS PREY

I know what you're thinking! Oh yes, I know! You look at me and you think, "Oh, what a twisted human being! Only a madman could have done something like that to a woman like her! I hope he's locked up with the key thrown away!".

But I am innocent! I have done nothing wrong! I have spared the Earth from an alien terror too terrible for the eyes of man! I acted as a selfless humanitarian, and for this I am unjustly persecuted!

But perhaps I should settle down. You don't know the truth; you only know the lies. No one listens to my side of the story, the _true _version of the story. But you will, won't you? Oh, I know you will! You're a kind, sensitive soul, I can see that! Come, come, sit down! This tale is a long one, and I fear I may keep you for some time.

As you may already know, my name is Herbert Peterson Leppard. I was an ordinary person once, just like you. I worked as a banker, I owned a pleasant condo stationed in the classy side of Gotham, and I was married to a wonderful woman whom I truly loved. Her name was Eliza, and she was the most beautiful creature imaginable. She was my best friend, my confidante, my soul mate. Not a day would go by that I did not thank the Almighty for bestowing such a treasure onto such an unworthy man like myself.

At least, I did until I began to learn the truth.

For several days, I became irritated with Eliza for some inexplicable reason. She had done nothing wrong as far as I had known. She continued to fulfill the role of the dutiful wife, as she always did: cooking the meals, cleaning the house, professing her devotion, and so forth.

Yet I knew something was awry. I was no fool! She was hiding something from me, something insidious and audacious. She was mocking me is what she was doing! Laughing at me behind my back! She thought she could fool me, and she secretly belittled me for it!

Gradually, I came to resent Eliza. Eventually, I began to loathe her. I wanted nothing more than to strike her, to scream furiously in her face, to scream that she was a godless whore who should rot in Hell! Yet I restrained myself. Eliza was concocting some deplorable scheme, and I desperately wanted to know what it was. So I smiled and I laughed, all the while seething and trembling with rage. The truth would come in due time. I could be patient. I could wait.

The truth was revealed to me not long thereafter on a dark and stormy night. My wife and I sat in the study, and we read while the rain howled angrily and the sky boomed its ominous warnings. Eliza was reading some weird tale (regarding the Old Ones, I'm sure), while I sat in an armchair with my newspaper. She did not notice, but every so often, I glanced at her with a hateful look. I was still not aware of why I detested her so. I had been pondering this for weeks, but I could still find no viable answer to my dilemma. I continued to wonder that night, using my newspaper as a means of hiding my glowering countenance. I was frustrated with my lack of progress, and I could scarcely control myself. The waiting was agony, but I endured. Soon enough, the riddle would be answered.

The lights went out and Eliza uttered a slight gasp. She stood up from the couch into the newfound darkness, her outline the only visible figure in the entire room. Thunder roared and lightning cracked, and the light revealed Eliza for what she truly was: a demon! A heathen slut! A bride of Lucifer himself! Her genuine appearance was astonishing and so repulsive that I could hardly believe what my eyes were demanding to be the truth. She had disguised her as an ostensibly attractive and innocent looking woman, but before the revelatory crackle of lighting I saw that she had the eyes of a raven, the skin of a snake, the teeth of Cerberus, and horns that could have only belonged to a denizen of the nine circles!

"I knew it!" I screamed while springing to my feet. "Conspiracy! Deceit! You've been trying to taint my soul, you spawn of Beelzebub! Blasted beast, I'll send you back to the abyss from whence you came!"

Eliza stared at me shocked, but the time for manipulation had long past expired. I grabbed my decorative cane stationed closely by my chair, and I let loose a bellow of rage as I descended upon her. I released a barrage of attacks, hitting her everywhere I could. She cried out and slumped to the floor while attempting to shield herself pitifully with her arms. I continued my assault, becoming increasingly enraged as I continued.

"Bitch! Whore!" I screamed in the midst of the termination. "Putrid lover of the anti-Christ! I'll show you! **I'll goddamn well show you!**"

I was not aware of how much time passed while I lambasted the unholy animal. However, it may very well have been several hours, for by the end I was drenched in sweat, gasping for breath, and could hardly stand. The deafening sound of the irate rainfall superseded my hoarse chokes for air.

Eliza had reverted back to her human form while bludgeoned. She may have been trying to trick me again, to plead with me to stop her punishment while wearing the face of the woman I had foolishly fallen in love with. Nevertheless, her attempt at salvation was ultimately futile. Her gorgeous mask was bruised and disfigured horribly; indeed, if I hadn't seen her until now, I would not have known that it was her lying there in a pool of her own blood. She did not move, she did not breathe, and I knew that she was dead.

I fell to my knees trembling. What I had exterminated was a lowly demon, yet I could not deny that I had developed the most celestial of affections for this devil woman. My trial completed, my heart broke and I began to weep deeply into my hands.

I do not know how long I heard it while the tears streamed down my face and the moans crept out my lips. Perhaps it was strong enough to overpower even the rapid beating of my heart and the wails of my mourning soul. Whatever it was, I noticed it instantly and quickly registered what it was.

The fluttering of wings.

I whirled around, and there, immersed in shadow, revealed by sporadic lightning, stood the most terrible monster of them all!

It was a bat!

It stood as tall as a mountain and was humanoid in form. But this was no human, no, no, no! No human could have glared the way it did, glowering with eyes as white as moonlight! No human could have snarled with such beastly jaws, jaws with two rows of sharp, thick teeth! More horrifying still, his eyes and his mouth were all that I could plainly see! The rest of the aberration was curling, coiling black ink. The sprawls of his form lingered towards me, and I would have vomited out of mortal terror had it touched me. Though nearly numb with petrifaction, I briefly noticed the open window behind the bat. The rain invaded the sanctity of my home, and formed itself into puddles among his feet.

There, I stood frozen in fright; the shadow with the hideous eyes and voracious mouth walked towards me.

"No! No, goddamn you!" I screamed while clumsily stumbling back. "Leave me be, you demonic avenger!"

It stopped for a moment, and then stared at me with some wonder, as if it were deciding on what course of action it should take. But then it resumed its stalking, and my heart leaped into my throat as it became closer, bigger, a shroud threatening to drown me in it's darkness!

"No! No, stay back! Stay back, I say!" I screamed while stepping back from my doom. Upon retrospect, I should have immediately ran out of my adobe and into some safe haven of sorts. But please understand dear listener, understand that the overwhelming grotesque nature of this beast dismantled all sensibilities within me. I daresay that all the great philosophers of our time-- Aristotle, Marx, Nietzsche-- would have babbled madly upon seeing this descendant of the Morningstar!

As I stumbled back, I accidentally struck a small table with a vase on it. Quickly recalling what was contained in said vase, I reached into it and produced my pistol. I thanked the Almighty for granting me the wisdom to purchase such a formidable measure of defense, and turned to face the accursed monstrosity. With this weapon, I was now on equal footing with him, and I myself felt the red, empowering aura of maleficent energy surge through me. This thing intended to send me to the Beyond? Then I would do the same to him!

"Denizen of Hell!" I bellowed, my eyes aflame with unbridled rage as I shot at him. "Back to the brimstone and hellfire with you!"

Though the freak was of a massive build, he evaded my shots with more agility than I thought he would have been capable of. However, not even his astounding speed could match that of my bullets and one of them caught him in his leg. He sank to one knee, and he let loose a roar that rattled my bones and turned my blood cold. Petrified, yet exhilarated with my success, I attempted to fire upon him once more, but alas! I had run out of ammunition! I glanced at the monster, and his reaction was mind numbing in its horror. I had thought he had looked angry before; well dear listener, if he was upset before, then now he was irate. Indeed, what was once white eyes had turned into slits of a dark crimson, and he began to tremble with a terrible energy composed purely of stunned, outraged hatred. I am not humiliated in the least to tell you that it took all of my strength to retain my bladder, and that some droplets managed to stain my pants. I am confident that should anyone else have witnessed the presence of this demon, they too would have experienced similar conditions.

Knowing that I possessed no means of weaponry, I dropped my pistol and fled from my home. The wallpaper of the halls became a blur as I sped past the doors of the other apartments, and my feet complained bitterly as I raced down several flights of stairs. I burst through the door leading into the garage, quickly spotted my vehicle, and climbed in. When I turned on the ignition, the heavenly sounds of Bach's Goldberg Variations ironically blared from my stereo. Paying the music of the angels no mind, I drove my car at full speed out of the garage, into the streets, and away from the tainted city of Gotham!

The more I drove, the more distance I put between me and the indisposed monster. However, despite the increasing quantity of miles between us, despite the deafening volume of Bach, despite the fury of the thunder, and despite the tantrum of the rain and hail, I could still hear it! I could still hear its roar of indignation, and it is a sound I shall never forget for as long as I live! It was a sound that pierced my heart, tore at my mind, and decimated my very soul!

In due time, the bellows became weaker and weaker still. However, the memory of it would not leave my mind, and in that recollection it was as loud as it had first been. I continued to drive far, far away from Gotham, but I still could not shake the sensation that somehow, someway, I had been marked for death by hearing that maddening call for vengeance.


	2. Chapter II: The Bat Cometh

Soon thereafter, I relocated myself to London, far, far away from the devil of my past. After my exhausting flight from evil incarnate, I boarded a flight at the International Gotham Airport. I sweated profusely and wheezed as I ordered my tickets, but no spectators paid me any mind. They must have thought that I was late for a scheduled flight. How could they have suspected that I had narrowly evaded the grasp of a giant bat demon? The ticket seller smiled at me understandingly, as if she had seen plenty of hurried men like me amidst the throngs of seemingly inexhaustible businessmen. Oh, if only she knew the true nature of my plight!

Some family of mine remained on the nation island, and it was to them that I approached for assistance. I told them nothing of Eliza or the bat that had hunted me. After all, who could have believed such a fantastic tale? Not desiring to be tuned away, I explained that I was in London merely for business, and declared my gratitude should they spare me some sufficient accommodations. They were willing and perhaps pleased to shelter me, and at night I joined them in their laughter and song while breaking bread.

Though I had come to the capital without any sort of plan (excluding my evasion of dismemberment), I gradually began to develop one. I could not ever return to Gotham, for that beast certainly still lurked there, swimming in the black pits and surfacing to feed on any soul present and nearby. Thankfully, London was to my liking, and I could conceive of no reason as to why I should have left. I decided to remain in this magnificent city and start my life anew. With my past experience, I could acquire any banking vocation available, and soon be able to support myself without the generous aid of my kin. I was at the thresholds of an entirely new journey, and I became giddy when considering all of the exciting and fortunate events that could occur.

It was on such a night that I considered such hypothetical future events while downing cold, foamy ale at the local pub. It was a fine place, this self-professed "Pub of the Rue Morgue". Though it was cold and covered with fog on the outside, the pub itself was warm with good cheer and amicability. No one there drank in order to drown their sorrows; rather, they drank, sang, and cheered in order to celebrate the majesty of life. I was no different than them regarding such behavior. With a flushed face and a slurring mouth, I whooped and I shouted, touting my barbarism and reveling in my savage bliss!

I left the pub many hours later, after the crack of the witching hours. Unfortunately, The streets were a far cry from the haven that I had just left. The air was frigid, the moisture was thick, and the fog had not subsided in the least. The fog was even thicker than before and it covered all things, including the black and grey granite of the surrounding city. However, I was too intoxicated with mirth to feel daunted by such unsettling sights. Thus, with my head light, and with absurd giggles sputtering from my lips, I stumbled back to my flat, paying the dreary street conditions no mind.

Time passed, and I continued to walk, tempted by the thoughts of a warm bed awaiting my arrival. In time though, I became suspicious of my environment. My head cleared and my feet became heavier as I began to suspect that I was being followed. Puzzled, I glanced behind me, to the left, to the right. However, I could see no stalker in sight. Admonishing myself for such foolishness, I continued toward my home.

Some time later, that sensation of suspicion revisited me; this time, it crawled up my throat and the hairs on my body began to stand up in response. I frantically tossed my head to and fro, but I could still I could still see no trace of a pursuer. Quite upset now, I commenced my walking, this time at an even greater speed.

As I walked, I heard not a sound. The Earth was asleep, and I trudged through her dreams. But what a dream it was, so ominous, so callous, so devoid of any comforting warmth! It seemed to me that I had somehow been thrown into a pit, and that the universe turned its back on me as the rabid dogs prepared to lunge at me. I could not explain to myself the sudden appearance of such a morbid thought, nor was I inclined to. All I wanted was to safely arrive at the confines of my quarters, and to throw myself into the vast realm of the dream world, unconscious of any and all existing horrors. I increased my pace, and raw, ugly panic crept up the ledge of my throat.

Several screeches rang throughout the night, and I instantly jerked my heads toward the source. There, before the great open moon, swarmed an army of bats, flapping their wings and scourging the black sky. Crying out in disgust at such horrid sight and sound, I clenched my eyes and covered my ears, willing the nightmare away from me.

"Leppard." The voice of judgment boomed.

Although the speaker was directly behind my rigid figure, I was aware of who it was that was beckoning me and calling my name. Slowly, entranced by the heavy, powerful volume of the voice, I turned around and laid eyes on that which was born from nightmares.

It was the bat demon!

He stood upon one of the buildings, and glared at me with inconceivable loathing. He stood in the dark, and his shadowy visage perfectly blended with the night; all I could see of him were those deep, inhumane eyes, and a mouth of savage teeth.

He pointed at me, and his next words drove a stake into my heart and drained all sensation away from my being:

"Your time has come."

So frightened was I, so utterly and verily appalled, that I could not think with a measure of sanity. My mind rang red flashes and the alarms whined its warnings of imminent danger. I started to scream gibberish, of what sort I cannot exactly recall. Upon recollection, it seems that I hysterically spoke of a "three headed dragon" and the "wrath of the serpent". I hollered the organic, unrestrained ravings of my primordial ancestors, and I fled from that ghastly scene, fueled by the adrenaline that only delivers itself through mind-blowing terror.

I ran several distances, but still that abominable reaper continued to follow me. It flew over the sky on gusts of madness, and it nearly blocked out the moon behind it. My throat was incredibly dry. My heart pounded so loudly that I could feel the pulsations resonate through the caverns of my skull. A scream raggedly crawled out of my open mouth, desperate and loud, yet no one answered my call. They knew that I was marked by the hand of evil, and they would not interrupt the feast.

But there, there was sanctuary! As I neared the site of the massive church, I became increasingly intoxicated with pure joy and sheer relief. From studying the design, I could tell that the church was several eons old. The figures carved into the structure were undoubtedly Gothic; all forms of gargoyles, ghouls, and demons under Heaven's control were present. They gave the church a grotesque yet regal and elegant demeanor, which is so characteristic of the Gothic aesthetics. The colors, shades, and hues of the church asserted a strong, defensive position. It was a sordid mixture of black and gray, concrete, granite, and stone. Though perhaps not entirely positive, the components of the venue were formidable nonetheless, and I was confident that it would ward off all evil. With renewed optimism, I sprang through the large iron door, slammed it shut, and promptly collapsed against it, devoid of energy.

I panted for air, yet I was thrilled. Finally, finally, I was free from that daemon at long last! I did not stop to consider that I would need to leave the sacred premises eventually and thus become vulnerable to the bat once more, but that hardly mattered at the moment. All that occupied me at this time was the sweet, jubilant sense of salvation. The weight of the world had been taken off of me; I had been pulled out of the blood-stained pit and I could breathe freely once more. I glanced at the interior of my sanctuary, noticing the presence of statues depicting saints, angels, and Christ himself! Yes, these paragons of virtue were staring back at me, blessing me and casting their commands of protection over me! Oh how grateful I was, so much so that tears of unbridled joy sprang to my eyes.

I heard the fluttering of wings.

My heart stopped.

My mind ceased to function.

Time slowed down to a worrisome level.

The palette of reality began to omit all colors sans black and white, leaving me to a world of shadows. The room became darker, and that darkness spread underneath me in an unearthly fashion. I looked to the enormous stained glass window adorning the top front of the church, and the pariah of my dreams flew once more.

He burst through the glass with amazing force, and he aimed straight at me amidst a shower of broken glass. It rained the most vivid of colors as the disgruntled demon knight flew towards me. His eyes were ablaze, and he roared with power fit to shake the heavens!

As I had done before, I responded to this grave threat by fleeing from it. I wanted to utilize my horror by screaming as I had before, but this time I was far too weak. All I could manage to emit was a low moan, one effused with the hopelessness of my ordeal! I ran through that empty hall, not daring to look over my shoulder and glimpse the silhouette hunting its prey. The same statues whose sagacious and merciful temperament I noticed earlier stood still. They once looked upon me with parental care. Now they regarded me with cold, smoldering eyes and I knew! I knew! It had all been a facade! These false idols betrayed me to that menacing ogre! It had all been a conspiracy from the very beginning! I screamed in a berserk fashion at an adjacent statue of the Messiah. He was stationed over the pulpit, and hung in the air with the aid of several invisible plastic cords. His arms were stretched out, so that it appeared that he was flying towards the skies and then to the _Paradiso_. Well, curse Eternal Paradise I say, and curse its revered emblem! I wanted to rebuke the King of Man with my outrage, but time was not favoring me. Instead, I turned right at the pulpit upon seeing another door in that direction. I ran through that door, and learned that it led upwards in a spiral staircase. I scaled that staircase with no hesitation.

As I ascended up the steps, I heard the heavy, thick door below me explode with great force. The bat continued to hunt me, and the most durable of elements were minor detriments. I praised my reason for not bothering to enhance the door's defenses, and continued on my way.

Upon barging through yet another door, I found myself on the roof of the church. I was momentarily stupefied at the distance I had covered; the stress enzymes must have granted me great power, for I had climbed at least six stories worth of stairs without stopping! However, it was also here that a sinking sense of unavoidable doom slithered through my being. There was no way out! The bat would soon make his entrance, and I would be lost to it!

I composed myself quickly, and started to ponder for any solutions. Perhaps... yes, perhaps I could climb down the architecture! Yes, I remembered that the design of the church was wholly Gothic; with such grooves and curves, I could climb down the church and evade an untimely demise.

The bat smashed through the last door, and the haphazard showering of wooden pieces temporarily jumbled my thoughts. Knowing that my deed would have to be done immediately in order to avoid evisceration, I ran way from the bat, and made my way to the edge of the roof. However, something stopped me. What I saw down upon the ground is what prevented me from proceeding with my descent. The sight haunts me to this day, and I would not wish the visual upon my worst enemy. It continues to linger within my subconscious, and it has irrevocably violated my perception. It has been more than once that this nerve-shredding scene has pervaded and tainted my dream sphere. The only relief to be found comes after my dreams have ended, after I scream like a madman, after my eyes bulge to an astronomical level and all the hairs of my body become stiff with fear. Only during this time do I begin to realize that it was all a bogey tale, but that feeling of exposure to hellish environments continues to persist.

The gravel streets and lawns of London were gone. In their stead was sea of writhing, moaning souls. They were pitiful if not sickening creatures. They appeared to be humanoids, but their skin was pallid and doughy, lacking any vivid coloring. They were skeletal in structure, and their rib cages and spines bulged from their bodies. They had no eyes; pale skin covered the areas where their appendages should have been. Perhaps this is why they were languishing about and why several were crying hysterically.

Somehow, someway, I had been transported to Hell! The door I stepped through was obviously a portal into this dimension of chaos, and a vengeful scheme orchestrated by the sinister monster. I was trapped then, trapped in this den of tortured souls, condemned and forsaken to an eternity of unfathomable agony!

A mighty roar emitted from the sky, and I looked towards the direction of the source. Oh, you who are listening to me, heed my words! What I have told you previously about that orgy of despair was gruesome enough, but this lurid scenario must be revealed as well! You may believe that I am lying if you wish. Indeed, I would rather you did believe that this story is a hoax and not become privy to what is truly an odious truth! However, I can no longer to withhold this sage to myself! The truth must be known!

There were more demons flying in the sky! It was an collection of them and they blotted out nearly every space of the night. With the unforgettable significance of the bat, I have scarcely seen creatures so revolting and deplorable! They eyes scintillated a bright shade of red, and their horns looked strong enough to penetrate through steel. Their build was massive and covered in thick, filthy hair, giving them the appearance of a vile gorilla. There wings were vast in size, and they looked to be a perverse imitation of the flight instruments of angels. Whereas the wings of angels are white in their purity, these demon wings were blacker than all mortal sins! Some continued to travel to wherever it was they deigned to go, yet some hovered in the air observing me. They chuckled darkly and licked their lips but did not move towards me. With mounting horror, I realized that they intended to watch me become devoured by my demonic hunter! I nearly became ill when I noticed that one such demon was undergoing a particularly reprehensible cause of action in preparation of the imminent bloodshed. So excited was this devil that he began to gratify himself manually in a sensual manner.

My distraction at the hands of these devils offered the bat and opportune time to accost me. He took hold of me by my cuffs, and he dragged me close to his face. He breathed harshly on me and if his breath was noxious, then I could not discern it to be so. I was far too gone, lost in the infinite white of his eyes. I briefly registered the facts: The bat had caught me and I had lost the great chase. I had lost everything in fact; I would gain nothing. With nothing left to lose, I entreated the demon.

"Specter of vengeance!" I said, mustering every brazen source within me. "Devilish pursuant! Why do you haunt me so?! Why have you chased me across the globe?! For God's sake, why will you not let me be?!"

It said nothing and seemed to analyze me curiously. It then pulled me closer still and said in a voice heavy in finality:

"I let no guilty man escape my grasp."

Before I could demand what this meant, the bat opened his large jaws, swallowed me whole, and I was lost, falling like a bright star through an eternal abyss, falling and screaming, falling and screaming.

When did I awake? How did I survive? Why was my life spared by destiny? These are all questions with answers that I should know. In practice, they are questions with answers that I do not know.

Upon my mysterious escape from the belly of the beast, I awoke inside a cell of Gotham's Arkham Asylum. Though ecstatic to be alive, I was less than so upon learning the location of my present destination. I needed to know the methods for my sudden appearance in this sordid place. Furthermore, why was I here? Arkham Asylum was a den of lunatics, and as I was perfectly sane, it was utter foolishness that I should wallow in such squalid ambiance. I attempted to voice my grievances to the sentinels, but they only ignored my pleas for attention. One guard told me that I could talk to my "case worker" about this dreadful error once he arrived. Yet this folly piled upon all of the others! I needed no case worker, no psychologist, no therapist, no medication, no straight jacket! What I needed was someone to notice me, to talk to me, to listen to me!

This institution is despicable. It is always cold, the food is always sterile, and the volume of the television is never loud enough to suppress the crying that can be heard continually at night. The guards are negligent, the provided recreational activities are mundane, and there is an odious aroma that will not dissipate no matter how many times the cells are scrubbed!

However, it is the prisoners here who are the worst feature of this asylum. These men and women are undoubtedly the abortions of society, mutant freaks whom not even a perverse circus would accept. That one, two cells over, is named Two-Face. While his behavioral dichotomies do conjure up fond memories of the immortal Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, this madman is repulsive and intolerable. It was only three days ago that he seized me while I was finishing my supper, held a fork to my eye, and threatened to puncture it if I kept staring at him. Far too intimidated to even tell him that I had not so much as glanced at him during my meal time, I weakly nodded my head. He dropped and left me, granting me reprieve from his insufferable presence.

There is another resident here whom I also verily detest. He is called the Joker, and he signifies the worst that mankind has to offer from its pantheon. He is always looking at me, studying me with greedy, hungry eyes. Once I decided to stare back in order to confirm my displeasure at being scrutinized, and the queer devil blew me a kiss in response! I roared angrily at him while the guards restrained me, and he wailed with a laughter so obscene that I wanted to die quickly upon hearing it.

There are more monsters like the aforementioned being kept in these cells. There are crocodile men, plant women, mad scientists, hideous dwarves, and shrieking female clowns. However, I deign not to escape this dour place. Whatever lives in here is nowhere near as accursed as what is waiting for me outside, lurking in the shadow and biding its time. I can see it now in my mind's eye, and I can hear it when the day turns into twilight. At times, I even think that I see it, hiding in the shadows of the corners of the room. He will not attack me here. For whatever reason, this place repels him. So I will stay here for however long I can because I know that the evil of this place cannot measure against the bloodlust of that abomination! I cannot and will not leave this place, for what lives beyond this place is a fate worse than the human mind can imagine!

It is the bat!


End file.
